Zenbu

Zenbu Review

There's a cool California vibe to this cozy, moodily lighted sushi-and-seafood restaurant that serves some of the freshest fish in town and attracts a Who's Who of La Jolla. Restaurateur Matt Rimel runs a commercial fishing company and uses his connections to bring varied seafood from all over the world that excels, whether raw or cooked. Seasonal specialties include buttery otoro tuna belly and local sea urchin fresh from its spiny shell. Sushi, which can be pricey, ranges from simple nigiri to beautiful sashimi plates and original rolls like Salmon Spider, which combines soft-shell crab with fresh salmon. Cooked dishes run from noodle bowls and grass-fed Montana prime sirloin seared at the table on a hot stone, to whole fried rockfish or spicy "dynamite" lobster.